Female Characters The Best Female Characters in Literature

Some of the best characters in literature are female. From the evil to the undeniably perfect, these are the greatest female characters from literature of all genres. This list includes the best female characters of all ages, from the youthful Matilda (Matilda) to the ever-so-adult Evelyn Couch (Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe). Make sure to also check out the brave women from real life such as the badass female pirate Chang Shih and these American women of war who deserve more recognition.

Why do female literary characters stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading the novels these characters are featured in? Often, it’s due to the intimacy with which readers have come to know a character. Jane Eyre (and all of her desires and feelings), for example, becomes so real to readers that they feel as if they’ve met and understood this amazing female character.

Other times, readers love female characters in literature because of the audacity of their actions. Scarlett O’Hara (Gone with the Wind) was exceedingly bold for a woman of her time, while Madame Defarge (A Tale of Two Cities) is an exemplar of tireless villainy. Some of the most popular female literary characters manage to embody both wholesome and defiant, becoming reflections of the complex nature of women.

For the wide range of personality traits we find in these great female characters (and the audacious actions they’ve performed), these women have earned their titles as the best female characters in literature. They may be young or old, charming or black-hearted, but they are all memorable. Whether you love them or love to hate them, all the famous fictional heroines are here in this list of the best female characters in literary history.

list ordered by

1

4,716 1,557

Hermione GrangerHarry Potter series Hermione Jean Granger is a fictional character in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She initially appears in the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as a new student on her ...more

2

3,095 979

Elizabeth BennetPride and Prejudice Elizabeth Darcy is the protagonist in the 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. She is often referred to as Eliza or Lizzy by her friends and family. Elizabeth is the second child in a ...more

3

1,224 1,125

Lady MacbethMacbeth Lady Macbeth is a fictional character from Macbeth.

4

1,762 710

Jane EyreJane Eyre Jane Eyre is the heroine of Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel of the same name.

5

1,666 658

ÉowynThe Lord of the Rings Éowyn is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, who appears in his most famous work, The Lord of the Rings. She is a noblewoman of Rohan who is described as a

6

1,972 648

Scout FinchTo Kill a Mockingbird Scout Finch is a fictional character from To Kill a Mockingbird.

7

536 738

mofletero added Natasha RostovaWar and Peace Countess Natalya "Natasha" Ilyinichna Rostova is a central fictional character in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace.

8

2,469 1,060

Katniss EverdeenThe Hunger Games Katniss Everdeen is a fictional character and the protagonist of The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Her name comes from an edible plant called katniss. Academy Award-winning actress ...more

9

1,931 673

AliceAlice in Wonderland Alicia is a fictional character from the 1976 film Alicia en el país de las maravillas.

10

2,221 310

celiagold added Professor Minerva McGonagallHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Minerva McGonagall is a fictional character from Harry Potter literary series.

11

1,935 872

Arya StarkA Song of Ice and Fire Arya Stark is a fictional character created by American author George R. R. Martin. She is a prominent point of view character in Martin's award-winning A Song of Ice and Fire series, and also a ...more

12

1,209 697

Scarlett O'HaraGone with the Wind Scarlett O'Hara is the central character in Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind and in the later film of the same name. She also is the main character in the 1970 musical Scarlett ...more

13

859 765

Anna KareninaAnna Karenina Anna is a fictional character from the book Anna Karenina.

14

2,653 685

Luna LovegoodHarry Potter series Luna Lovegood is a fictional character from the Harry Potter series written by J.K. Rowling.

15

1,624 631

Jo MarchLittle Women, Little Women, Little Women Jo March is a fictional character from the 1933 film Little Women.

16

1,514 642

Daenerys Targaryen is a fictional character of the book Game of Thrones.

17

1,580 418

Mary PoppinsMary Poppins series Mary Poppins is a fictional character and the protagonist of P. L. Travers' Mary Poppins books and all of its adaptations. A magical English nanny, she blows in on the East Wind and arrives at ...more

18

1,789 442

MatildaMatilda Matilda Wormwood is a fictional character from the 1996 comedy fantasy film Matilda.

19

1,081 530

GaladrielThe Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings Galadriel is a character created by J.R.R. Tolkien, appearing in his Middle-earth legendarium. She appears in The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales. She was a royal Elf ...more

20

705 593

Hester PrynneThe Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne is the protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter. She is portrayed as a woman condemned by her Puritan neighbors. The character has been called "among the ...more

21

789 433

ÉponineLes Misérables Éponine Thénardier, also referred to as the "Jondrette girl", is a fictional character in the 1862 novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. The character is introduced ...more

22

863 218

Polar Bear added AthenaOdysseus: Voyage to the Underworld Alea was an epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, prominent in Arcadian mythology, under which she was worshiped at Alea, Mantineia and Tegea. Alea was initially an independent goddess, but was ...more

23

1,112 372

Nancy DrewNancy Drew series Nancy Drew is a fictional character from the 2011 film My Sucky Teen Romance.

24

1,268 372

Anne ShirleyAnne of Green Gables Anne Shirley is a fictional character introduced in the 1908 novel Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Montgomery wrote in her journal that the idea for Anne's story came from ...more

25

1,073 424

Dorothy GaleThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz Dorothy Gale is a fictional character and protagonist of many of the Oz novels by the American author L. Frank Baum. Her best friend is Oz's ruler Princess Ozma. Dorothy first appears in Baum's ...more